The extracurricular activity of astronauts in the weightless environment of extraterrestrial space presents many problems for which conventional mobile work platforms and associated remote manipulator systems are unsuited. Many extravehicular activities of astronauts require a work platform with foot restraints and tethers. However, if the remote manipulator system is grappled to the foot restraint platform, it is not usable for anything else. A different means of mounting the platform to the manipulator arm is therefore desirable.
Heretofore, the extravehicular activity of an astronaut in the weightless environment has been required in the installation of a foot restraint platform to the arm of a remote manipulator system. Aside from the burdensome effort, time and expense required for the installation, no effective means is available to the astronaut when on the platform for storage and retention of equipment and tools to be used in the performance of designated tasks. Foot restraint platforms on a structure fixed to the arm of a remote manipulator system associated with a spacecraft are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,535. A foot restraint platform attached to a frame structure which is extended or deployed from a space vehicle is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,985. In both these prior art devices, the installation of the foot restraint platforms is achieved by the astronaut during his extravehicular activity. While means for storage of special equipment such as strut assemblies is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,985, a very specialized and complex mechanism is required which can be used for few other purposes. Furthermore, the installation of the storage means itself, requires the extravehicular activity of an astronaut.